Presidents Race Videos – 2009 Season

Presidents Race Auditions, February 2009

The Washington Nationals continued their tradition of holding racing president auditions at Nationals Park during Presidents Day Weekend in February, 2009. In 2009, seventy finalists were invited to take their turns as George, Tom, or Abe, but once again, Teddy was a no-show. These reports from WTOP News and Washingtontimes.com include interviews with contestants and with Entertainment Coordinator Tom Davis.

Presidents Race on Ice Skates.

[Youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt1_dkVdV_0]
The Nats’ racing presidents kicked off the 2009 Spring Training season on Presidents Day with a trip to Long Island, New York. The first-ever presidents race on ice skates was held between periods of a New York Islanders game at Nassau Coliseum. Teddy gave a valiant effort but was knocked to the ice several times before George Washington skated away with the victory.

Tom trips in photo finish. Result reversed on replay.

On April 16, Teddy built an early lead but faltered in the home stretch, letting Abe Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson race ahead to a photo finish. Tom fell at the tape (or was he tripped by Abe?), and the victory was called for Lincoln, but after video review it was announced that the win was granted to Thomas Jefferson. Video by YouTube member Rockthered8.

Jefferson leads wire-to-wire on misspelled uniform night

This video from the season’s 3rd home game provides a close up view as Teddy brings up the rear, leading fans to wonder if 2009 is going to bring more and more of the same for #26. Video courtesy of YouTube member lfahome.

Teddy distracted by a juggling clown.

During a rare Saturday day game against the Florida Marlins on April 18, a clown appeared along the centerfield warning track, and distracted Teddy during the presidents race. As the clown dropped his pants and juggled rings, Teddy clapped and jumped up and down like a toddler. Abe Lincoln raced by and paced the field for the victory.

Thomas Jefferson takes down Abe Lincoln in the outfield

On Sunday, April 19, George Washington led wire-to-wire, but as Tom and Abe battled for third place, Tom slammed Abe into the outfield wall, taking him down. Abe never crossed the finish line. Video by YouTube user TheTeddyRoosevelt.

After rain delay, Teddy races with an umbrella.

After a long rain delay on April 20, Teddy jumped out in front but was quickly passed by the other racing presidents as he struggled with a comically small umbrella. Video courtesy of Bree Stevens.

Presidents race with hockey sticks.

With the Washington Capitals on the road for a playoff series vs. the New York Rangers, the Washington Nationals racing presidents ran the race carrying hockey sticks. The Capitals’ eagle mascot Slapshot sat in for Nats mascot Screech to wave the flag at the finish line. Abe Lincoln pulled up lame early in the race and limped to the finish line. Video courtesy of YouTube member lfahome.

Presidents race blindfolded. Teddy runs the wrong way.

On May 1st with the St. Louis Cardinals in town, the Washington Nationals held the first-ever blindfolded presidents race. Teddy ran the wrong way from the start. Lincoln and Washington bumped into each other (and the outfield wall), but Thomas Jefferson’s blindfold slipped off and he took the tape uncontested. Video courtesy of YouTube member lfahome.

After filly wins Preakness, “Philly” runs with the presidents.

On May 16th, filly Rachel Alexandra wore #13 to become the first filly to win the Preakness Stakes in 85 years. Just a couple of hours later, with the Philadelphia Phillies in town, a “Philly” entered the presidents race sporting #13and nearly beat Abe to the finish. Video courtesy of YouTube member lfahome.

Teddy collapses.

Pittsburgh’s pierogies visit, are tackled by That Cat.

The Pittsburgh Pirates visited Nationals Park for a 4-game series and brought along the racing pierogies from PNC Park’s Great Pierogie Race for a series of matches with and against DC’s racing presidents. In the series opener, two of the visitors staked a big lead but the pierogies were clotheslined by That Cat, who emerged from the stands along the first base line. Video courtesy Flickr member Charles Diaz.

Presidents team with pierogies for 3-legged race.

On May 20, with the Pittsburgh Pirates in town, each racing president teamed with one of Pittsburgh’s racing pierogies in a painfully slow 3-legged race. Teddy and Sauerkraut Saul lost the lead when they tripped and fell, letting Abe Lincoln and Jalapeño Hannah take the tape. Video courtesy of Flickr member Mike Hill.

Orioles Bird tackles Teddy, then gets leved himself.

With the Baltimore Orioles in town for the annual “Battle of the Beltways,” Teddy had a huge lead when the Orioles Bird mascot lept from the stands and tackled him. George was right behind to get revenge on The Bird. Video courtesy of Bree Stevens.

Teddy gets revenge against the Orioles Bird.

View of the race from behind home plate.

This video courtesy of YouTube member lfahome shows the Washington Nationals president race from the perspective of the presidents club seats behind home plate. That’s Hall of Famer Randy Johnson of the San Francisco Giants on the mound, in the middle of pitching a gem that just happened to be his 300th career victory, June 4, 2009.

Abe Lincoln rejects the “Let Teddy Win” movement.

With the Mets in town on June 7, 2009, Abe Lincoln jumped out to a huge lead and made a bee line for the first base line, where somebody in the stands was holding up a “Let Teddy Win” sign. Abe ripped the sign in half, then held up his own that said “Make Teddy Earn It! Video courtesy of Anderson Hernandez Contingency.

George Washington trips, argues, gets ejected.

In a June 20 game vs. the Toronto Blue Jays, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson fought for the lead from wire to wire, before George collapsed at the finish line. The umpires then ejected him for arguing.

George Washington sits out suspension

A day after getting ejected for arguing, George Washington serves a 1-game suspension and sits out the race. Teddy fails to capitalize.

Teddy races on a unicycle

With the Boston Red Sox in town for a 3-game series, Teddy Roosevelt rroad a unicycle to open the presidents race. Unfortunately, Teddy wasn’t able to pick up much speed and his head start vanished quickly.

Teddy throws a Boston Tea Party, Abe’s feet are on fire.

In one of the strangest presidents races of the year, Teddy failed to emerge on the field, and instead appeared on the outfield scoreboard kicking over boxes of tea. The other presidents stopped to watch Teddy for a while before Abe bolted ahead to win uncontested. Abe’s post-victory celebration was hardly modest. Video courtesy of YouTube member lfahome.

Teddy and That Cat team up to tackle the other presidents

That Cat returned to Nationals Park to once again team up with Teddy Roosevelt. As the other presidents entered the Nationals Park field for the race, Teddy and That Cat were waiting for them on the outfield warning track, and clothesline-tackled each of them; but George, who had been tackled first, got up quickly and raced ahead to win uncontested. Video by YouTube member TheTeddyRoosevelt.

Teddy wears Santa costume, throws toys into the stands

On July 17, the U.S. Marine Reserves were collecting toy donations at Nationals Park for their “Christmas in July” program. Teddy Roosevelt emerged for the presidents race wearing a Santa Claus outfit. He took a big lead, but slowed down when he began throwing stuff animals into the stands along the first base line.

Teddy wears astronaut “helmet” to commemorate moon walk

On the 40th anniversary of the first U.S. moon landing, Teddy Roosevelt commemorated the event by wearing a makeshift astronaut helmet crafted from aluminum foil. Unfortunately for Teddy, his performance in the race appeared to be a zero-gravity affair. Video by YouTube member TheTeddyRoosevelt.

Teddy rides motor scooter to victory, is disqualified

On July 26, Abe Lincoln staked an early presidents race lead, but Teddy Roosevelt emerged late from the starting gate aboard a motor scooter. #26 quickly zoomed past the other presidents, and broke the tape to thundering cheers from the Nationals Park crowd. Unfortunately, presidents race judge Screech swooped quickly in to disqualify Teddy for riding a motorcycle, and declared Abe Lincoln the winner. Video by YouTube member TheTeddyRoosevelt.

Teddy is leveled by racing pierogie in Pittsburgh

On July 31, the Nationals racing presidents paid their 2nd annual visit to Pittsburgh’s PNC Park for the Nats’ series vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates. The presidents joined Pittsburgh’s Great Pierogie Race by breaking into teams and running a relay. Teddy Roosevelt was running anchor for his team when Potato Pete ran onto the field and leveled him to the ground. The vicious tackle was played repeatedly on ESPN Sportscenter and led to the highest-ever single-day visitor count to the Let Teddy Win blog.

Teddy gets bumped, spins and runs the wrong way

On August 6, Teddy Roosevelt staked a big early lead, but Thomas Jefferson chased him from behind, bumped Teddy and spun him around. Teddy started running the wrong way, ending up back at the centerfield starting line as the other 3 presidents finished the race. Video by YouTube user TheTeddyRoosevelt.

Teddy dresses as the Lone Ranger to William Tell Overture

On August 8, special guest Glenn Donnellan, “The Electric Slugger”, played the WIlliam Tell Overture on his violin baseball bat as the Nationals racing presidents took the field for the 4th-inning race. Teddy Roosevelt emerged last, dressed as the Lone Ranger with mask, sash, and a toy stick horse, but failed to catch Thomas Jefferson for the win. Video by YouTube user TheTeddyRoosevelt.

Thomas Jefferson pulls a hamstring, Teddy fails to capitalize.

On August 9, the presidents pack separated quickly, with Thomas Jefferson taking a huge lead and Teddy Roosevelt holding a solid second. Approaching the right field corner, Tom pulled up lame with a hamstring injury, and Teddy quickly passed him. Teddy appeared poised to take his first victory, but Abe raced from behind to steal the win. Video by YouTube user TheTeddyRoosevelt.

Teddy stops mid-race to update his Twitter status.

On August 19, Teddy took an early lead but stopped to post an update to Twitter. Those following Teddy26Nats on Twitter saw his update: “Im in the lead! no one can stop me!”. Teddy stopped to Tweet once more before finally losing the lead. Video by YouTube user lfahome.

Presidents mock Milwaukee with the “Un-racing Sausages”

With the Milwaukee Brewers in town for a 4-game series in August, the Nationals racing presidents staged a protest against Milwaukee’s refusal to let their famous racing sausages get on the field with George, Tom, Abe, and Teddy. The Nats put fake racing sausages on the field against the presidents. The “un-sausages” were abused the presidents for four consecutive games. Video by YouTube user TheTeddyRoosevelt.

Fans cheer Teddy’s return from the injured list

During a Labor Day weekend series vs. the Florida Marlins, the Nationals Park P.A. announcer informed the crowd that Teddy Roosevelt would not be racing and was listed as “day-to-day” due to an injury sustained during pre-game warm-ups. The next day, Teddy was back in the lineup and was celebrated by some of his loyal fans who captured it on video. Video by YouTube user lfahome.

George tackles Abe Lincoln short of the finish line

On September 24, Teddy Roosevelt was reportedly sitting out with “a hamstring injury”, leaving just Abe, Tom, and George to duke it out for the presidents race. Duke it out they did, as George Washington surprised Abe Lincoln by tackling him short of the finish line. Video courtesy of YouTube user lfahome.

ABC News White House correspondent Karen Travers attended the final series of the season to document the Let Teddy Win movement for the nationwide TV audience. On September 29, her report captured some of Teddy’s biggest supporters as George, Tom and Abe mocked Teddy with a post-race bunny hop.

Abe shows his anger as George fixes final race

In the last race of the 2009 season, Thomas Jefferson was looking to pass George Washington for 2nd-place in the final standings, but George arranged to move the finish line to the other side of the field. Abe and Tom were flummoxed when the finish line was not in the usual spot. George took the victory, and YouTube user lfahome captured Abe’s anger at the end. ‘Roid rage, perhaps?